Two Motivating Questions I Ask Myself Every Morning

Asking yourself good motivating questions and then answering them can boost your productivity and increase your happiness according to studies conducted by psychologists in recent years.

That’s why I always ask and answer…

My Two Morning Motivating Questions

I got the idea for asking morning questions from an audio tape I checked out of the library back when I lived on Kaua’i in the late 1990s. (Author lost to the mists of time.)

I answer them as I’m taking the first sips of my morning coffee, often while I’m outside looking at the stars or the sunrise, and it only takes a minute or two to do. The answers really motivate me in all areas of my life and they help me focus on what I really need to do that day.

Here they are:

1. “What is Good About My Life?”

This question helps me focus on why I’m glad to be alive and it puts me in a good frame of mind.

Another version of this question I frequently use: “What am I grateful for?”

2. “What Are the Most Important Things I Need to Do Today?”

This question helps me focus on my main priorities for the day. My improved mental state from answering the first question motivates me to get going on what I really need to do.

Important Points about Motivating Morning Questions

I ask “What is good about my life?” first because it improves my mood. Then, when I ask myself “What are the most important things I need to do today?” I’m in a better frame of mind to both determine what needs to be done and to actually get those things done.

Your Take

Do you ask yourself motivating questions? What are they? When do you ask them? How do they help you? Share with us!

Comments

What a lovely way to start the morning, John. Hawaii has that effect, doesn’t it? 🙂

I ask the 2nd question but I really like prefacing it with your 1st. We’ve discussed before that one motivational question I ask (in defusing negativity) is Is this worth the energy? I need to add the positive. Thanks for sharing, John.

Perfect, I love this! I’ve been asking the second question, but not the first. The first makes all the difference. I might just post this on my wall over my desk! 🙂

I find it also helps to remind myself, when thinking of what needs to be done, to be goal-oriented and not task-oriented. I think about how things that “need” to be done fit with my overall goals, and sometimes I realize they don’t actually need to be done, or aren’t as important as I thought.

These are wonderful questions, John. Like others, I frequently sail right past the first question and land squarely on the second. But I so agree with your assertion that the first question sets the tone for the day. Definitely going to loop this into my routine–thanks! 🙂

I do something similar, though I ask my two questions before I go to sleep. The first one is, “Did I love well?” and the other is, “Did I live fully?” Most of the time the answers are “yes” and “yes.” When I get a “no” or two, then I ask myself, “what can I do more of tomorrow?”

Hi John, thank for this short, but important post. It is particularly important for me to focus on these things right now. I’ve had a recent hard situation in my life, and I’ve just switched over to a self-hosted site. I think I might need a tear-off notepad with those questions at the top.

Thanks so much for this John. I find mornings really difficult and it’s often hard for me to get going if I don’t have a pressing deadline. I often end the day thinking I could have achieved more. I think it’s great to remember to be grateful first too. I will definitely be adopting this strategy. Thanks for the tip!

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